1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process cartridge which is detachably included in an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer and a copy machine, a photosensitive drum unit which is included in the process cartridge, a developing roller unit, an end member which is attached to a columnar rotary body of the photosensitive drum unit or the developing roller unit, a bearing member which configures the end member, an intermediate member which is included in the bearing member, and a bearing member body.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image forming apparatus such as a laser printer and a copy machine includes a process cartridge which is provided to be attachable to and detachable from an image forming apparatus body (hereinafter, referred to as an “apparatus body”).
The process cartridge is a member which forms contents which are to be shown, such as characters and figures, and which transfers these contents to a recording medium such as a paper sheet. More specifically, the process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum in which the contents to be transferred are formed. In addition, other various units for forming the contents which are to be transferred to the photosensitive drum are arranged together in the process cartridge. For example, these units include a developing roller unit, a charging roller unit, and a cleaning unit.
In a case of the process cartridge, the same process cartridge is attached to or detached from the apparatus body for maintenance purpose, or a new process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus body after the old process cartridge is detached from the apparatus body. Users of the image forming apparatus can carry out such attachment and detachment work of the process cartridge by themselves. Therefore, from this point of view, it is desirable that the attachment and detachment work be carried out as easily as possible.
However, a drive shaft of the apparatus body is configured so as to engage with the photosensitive drum included in the process cartridge directly or via other members. This causes the photosensitive drum to receive a rotation force from the drive shaft and to rotate. Therefore, in order to attach and detach the process cartridge to and from the apparatus body, on each occasion, it is necessary to carry out disengagement work (detachment) and re-engagement work (mounting) between the drive shaft of the apparatus body and the photosensitive drum.
Therefore, if the photosensitive drum (process cartridge) can be attached to and detached from the drive shaft by moving the photosensitive drum in a direction along an axis of the drive shaft of the apparatus body, it is possible to configure a relatively simple apparatus. However, in a viewpoint of downsizing of the image forming apparatus and ensured space arrangement required for the attachment and detachment work of the process cartridge, it is preferable that the process cartridge be detached from the apparatus body so as to be pulled out in a direction different from the direction along the axis of the drive shaft, or so as to be pushed in an opposite direction when being attached.
JP-A-2010-26473 discloses a configuration in which the process cartridge is attached to and detached from the apparatus body in the direction different from the direction along the axis of the drive shaft of the apparatus body. Specifically, a coupling member disclosed in JP-A-2010-26473 is attached to a drum flange (bearing member) so as to be swingable by being provided with a spherical portion. Therefore, a portion (rotation force receiving member) which is included in the coupling member and engages with the drive shaft of the apparatus body swings around the spherical portion, and can change an angle with respect to the axis of the photosensitive drum. This facilitates the attachment and detachment between the drive shaft of the apparatus body and the photosensitive drum.
In addition, according to the invention disclosed in JP-A-2010-26473, in a structure for connecting a swinging shaft member to the bearing member, a groove for introducing a rotation force transmission pin included in the shaft member to the bearing member is disposed on an inner peripheral side of the bearing member. This groove is formed so as to extend in a rotation direction. This groove facilitates the attachment of the rotation force transmission pin to the bearing member.